Bangladesh are in the driving seat after Day 4 of the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in the Harare Sports Ground on Saturday. Chasing a daunting target of 477 runs, Zimbabwe scored 140/3 in the second innings. Pacer Taskin Ahmed, in-form spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan scalped the wickets of one wicket each.
Tigers are now just 7 wickets away from the victory and Zimbabwe will now have to score 337 runs more to win this match in with a full one day remaining in this match. Bangladesh declared their second innings on 284/1 in 67.4 overs, with Shadman Islam and Najmul Hossain Shanto unbeaten on 115 and 117 respectively. Riding on left-handed openers Shadman and Shanto’s unbeaten tons, Bangladesh secured a mammoth lead of 476 runs.
Shadman remained unbeaten on 196-ball 115 for his first Test ton, while Shanto was unbeaten on 118-ball 117 as Bangladesh scored quick runs before declaring. This was the elegant left-hander's second Test century.
Shadman needed 180 balls to reach three-figure score in international cricket. He smashed 8 boundaries along the way. While going to 100 from 85, Shanto hit 2 maximums and reached his hundred in 109 balls. Bangladesh only lost the wicket of Saif Hasan before declaring on second innings. In the second-wicket stand, Shadman Shanto added 196 runs, which is now the third-highest stand in the second wicket for Bangladesh in Tests.
Earlier, Zimbabwe tumbled for 276 while replying to Bangladesh’s first innings total of 468, and Bangladesh secured a huge lead of 192 runs.
